Silver Bells and Baby Clothes
by Rowan Rose
Summary: Bucky just wanted some peace and quiet from the baby crying next door, he wasn't expecting to fall in love.
1. Chapter 1

When Bucky's eyes shot open it was still dark outside. He let out an exhausted sigh and rolled over to grab his phone from the side of the bed to look at the time.

"Three o'clock," he mumbled, "right on schedule." He lay in the darkness staring at the ceiling for a minute or so until the first faint whimpers of a baby started drifting through the walls. It only took a few seconds for the tiny noises to become screams and before the sounds of stumbling feet and a tired voice could be heard through the walls as well.

This routine had been going on for about two weeks now; every night around three in the morning, Bucky was jolted awake by crying.

The first time it had happened, Bucky had jumped from his bed, the knife he kept under his pillow in his fist and his eyes wildly searching the room for a threat. When he registered the scream as a baby, he had taken a shaky breath and dropped the knife on his nightstand before slashing some water on his face and getting back in bed. The next couple of nights had been about the same until his body started waking him up before the screaming started.

Bucky hadn't even met his neighbors yet. They had moved in two weeks ago, but they had never been out while Bucky had been out and Bucky wasn't exactly the type to invite someone in for casserole. All he knew about them was that the baby had a healthy set of lungs and the father had a soothing voice when he was trying to calm the baby down. He didn't even know their names.

Bucky turned over again and checked his phone, it had already been ten minutes and the baby was screaming even louder now. Usually Bucky could fall back asleep while the baby was crying, but it was just too much tonight.

Bucky could hear the man trying to calm the baby, but the screams continued. He tried to bury his head in his pillow to drown out the noise but gave up after a few minutes and threw himself out of his bed. Before he knew what was happening, he had already walked out of his apartment and knocked on his neighbor's door.

He stood waiting for a few moments and nearly dozed off until the door was thrown open and the screams were made louder than ever.

Bucky stood shocked at the image in front of him for a split second. The man in the doorway giving Bucky a helpless look was tall and muscular with broad shoulders and messy golden blond hair and he held a baby swaddled in a green blankets in the crook of his right arm.

The man opened his mouth, probably to apologize for the noise when Bucky interrupted him. "Do you need help?" When the man gave a skeptic look Bucky sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know this sounds weird and intrusive, but I basically raised my little sisters, I know a thing or two about babies." The man still didn't look convinced to let a strange man help with his baby, go figure. "Also, I honestly just want some sleep."

There was a pause, then the baby took a deep breath before letting out an even fiercer screech than before and the man looked up at Bucky. "Okay, please help me. I don't know what is wrong," he said, gesturing for Bucky to come inside. "I fed him and changed him and rocked him. He's just crying. He does this all the time, just cries for no reason." The man looked close to crying, himself.

Bucky held his arms out. "May I?" The man passed the screaming baby into Bucky's arms and Bucky nestled him into his chest and started bouncing back and forth. "I'm Bucky by the way."

"Steve," said the man, "and this is Clint."

Bucky stopped bouncing and pressed his lips to Clint's forehead in a brief kiss. "He doesn't have a fever," he said. "You burped him after he ate, right?"

Steve nodded. "I can't think of any reason why he would still be crying."

"Sometimes babies just cry," Bucky said as he walked to the kitchen and turned the faucet on. He continued to bounce Clint as he stood beside the running water. "My youngest sister was a colic baby, it happens a lot with formula babies. The only thing that could make her quiet down was if we turned on constant noise in the background."

They stood there for a few minutes while Clint continued to cry. "This not going to do it for you, buddy?" Bucky said to Clint before turning to Steve. "Do you have a vacuum cleaner?" he asked as he turned the water off.

Steve was looking exhausted but he nodded.

"Could you bring it in here?"

It took a few moments of Clint still screaming into Bucky's chest before Steve came back in and put the vacuum cleaner in the floor beside the couch.

"Now what?" Steve asked.

"Plug it in," Bucky said, sitting down beside the machine and adjusting Clint in his arms.

Steve did it and then sat down beside Bucky. He watched Bucky turn the vacuum cleaner on and then start rocking Clint forward and back, humming softly against Clint's hair.

For a few minutes nothing changed and it seemed like they were going to have to try something else when the screams turned into cries that turned into whimpers that finally petered out to deep breaths littered with the occasional sniffle.

Bucky sent Steve a tired grin and whispered, "See, nothing to it."

Steve just nodded before leaning against the couch and looking sleepily at Bucky and Clint. Almost instantly, his eyes were closed and he was letting out soft snores. Bucky opted to just let him sleep, if Bucky was tired, there was no telling what Steve was.

Bucky tuned the vacuum cleaner off and made sure that Clint wasn't going to wake up again before leaning back against the couch and closing his eyes.

His last thought before drifting off was about how blue Steve's eyes were.


	2. Chapter 2

It was warm when Bucky slowly woke up. This wasn't weird in and of itself, though he was warmer than usual, but he was mostly warm on the center of his chest and all along his right side. Buck kept his eyes closed and just reveled in the warmth before he remembered the events of the night before.

He slowly bilked his eyes open and looked down at the bundle on his chest. Clint was wiggling in a way that meant he was about to wake up, but he had yet to open his eyes. Next Bucky looked over to his side at where Steve had fallen against his shoulder and was drooling over his arm, still snoring. Bucky's heart gave a little flutter at how close they were pressed together, but he was distracted away when Clint opened his eyes.

"Hey, little buddy," Bucky whispered, mindful of Steve at his side, "sleep well?"

Clint just blinked at him and wiggled more in his cocoon of blankets until he got is arms free and he started swinging them around, thumping them lightly on Bucky's chest.

Bucky chuckled at the baby. "I'm glad you don't wake up mad," he said. They sat there as Clint continued to wiggle against Bucky's chest and make little grunts. Before too long, though, Clint's fist made its way into his mouth and he was sucking vigorously on it.

"You hungry, buddy?" Bucky asked, not expecting an answer. "I'm going to have to wake up your daddy to help you."

Bucky started shifting the shoulder that Steve was leaning against. "Steve," he said softly, "sorry to wake you, but your son is hungry."

Steve stirred slowly at first, with his eyes fluttering open and a gentle smile on his face that made Bucky's heart skip a beat. Once Steve realized what is was he was seeing in front of him, he shot up and immediately started spewing apologies.

"Oh my goodness, Bucky, I didn't mean to fall asleep! I am so sorry! You should have woken me up so you could go back to bed!"

Bucky just shrugged his apologies off. "It's fine," he said, "It's been a while since I got to hold a baby anyway, so I was in no hurry."

Steve still looked a little sheepish. "Still, I don't feel right having used you like that."

Bucky shook his head and grind at Steve. "You could make up for it by fixing the little guy a bottle before he starts crying again. I would do it, but it would be pretty hard to do whole holding him," Bucky said, shrugging his left shoulder where there was nothing but the empty sleeve of his t-shirt.

From the way Steve's eyes widened, Bucky guessed Steve hadn't seen his arm the night before, but Steve quickly schooled his face into a neutral expression and let out a nervous chuckle. "I'll get right on that," he said before slipping from the room.

Bucky took this time to adjust Clint so that he was laying in Bucky's lap and then took a look around the room. The room was basically the same as his living room, but Steve actually had a tv and the couch he had was nicer than Bucky's. The vacuum cleaner was still sitting by the couch and there were baby things strewn over the floor. As Bucky looked around the room, his eyes came to halt on a picture that was sitting on the coffee table.

It was of Steve and a woman who was, presumably, Clint's mother. She was very beautiful, with brown hair done up in curls and red lipstick staining her red lips. In the picture, Steve's arms were wrapped around her middle and both of their hands were resting on her extended stomach. Their eyes looked so happy.

"Her name was Peggy," Steve said from where he had entered carrying a fresh bottle.

Bucky's heart sunk for Steve at the 'was'. "She was beautiful," Bucky said softly.

"She was," Steve said with a hint of finality before he scooped Clint from Bucky's lap and popped the bottle in his mouth.

Bucky stood and scratched the back of his head. "It's probably time for me to head back to apartment," he said, "Just scream if you need something, I'm right next door."

"It probably won't be me screaming," Steve said with a huff of laughter, "but I might just take you up on that." He walked Bucky to the door and there was an awkward moment of silence before Bucky stepped through the doorway.

"See you later," Bucky said to Steve before he placed his hand gently on Clint's head. "You too, little buddy." Bucky met Steve's eyes, which were looking at him softly before he turned and headed back to his own apartment.

When he sat on his couch, his chest felt cold and his arm felt too light and his apartment felt too empty, so he called Sam.

He answered on the first ring and Bucky just blurted out, "Can I come over?"

There was a brief pause before he replied, "Of course, dude. You know that you're always welcome."

Bucky let out a small breath of relief and said, "Cool, I'll be over in a second."

"Okay, see you in a little bit," Sam said. "Bye."

"Bye." Bucky replied absentmindedly as he started grabbing clothes to throw on. He hung up and threw his phone on his bed.

While he was getting dressed, he heard Steve's voice drifting through the walls singing a nursery rhyme and Bucky smiled to himself before shaking himself.

Why was this man affecting him so much? This was why he needed to talk to Sam.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam lived about two blocks from where Bucky lived so it wasn't that far of a walk. Bucky made it to Sam's door in record time and barged in without knocking. He took two steps in and then stopped himself when he nearly tripped over what was sitting in the floor at his feet.

"Hey, sweetheart," Bucky said as he picked the one-year-old off of the floor. Sam and his husband, Riley, had adopted Natasha when she was a newborn and Bucky was her honorary uncle. Natasha had cried for days when Riley had been killed in a freak plane accident about a month previous, but then who hadn't. Sam was doing a lot better, Natasha probably helped.

Natasha squealed as Bucky swung her through the air and then pulled her back in for a hug. "Where is your daddy, Nat?" Bucky asked.

Sam rounded the corner as the words were coming out of Bucky's mouth. "Don't worry, I'm here," he said, "I didn't just abandon my child."

Bucky chuckled as Sam pulled him and Natasha in for a hug. When they broke apart he sat Natasha back on the ground and then turned to Sam.

"Remember that crying baby who lives beside me?" He asked.

Sam rolled his eyes. "How could I forget?" he said, "You complained nonstop last time we went to lunch together." He gestured to the couch and he and Bucky sat.

"Well," Bucky started, "I finally met them last night."

"And?" Sam asked, not looking at Bucky but making faces at Natasha who was crawling towards them.

Bucky sighed. " _And_ the dad is hot. His name is Steve and he is pretty much perfect."

Sam let out a bark of laughter. "Somehow I find it hard to believe he is perfect," he said looking Bucky in the eye.

"For a single dad with a baby waking him up every night he looks pretty perfect," Bucky said as Natasha raised herself to a standing position using Bucky's leg. "He was sweet and so stressed out, I gave him a hand at putting Clint, his baby, to sleep and we ended up falling asleep on the couch." Bucky paused for a second. "It scared me."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Which part?"

Bucky lifted Natasha into his arm. "The part where it felt so good," he said. "I woke up with a crick in my neck and drool on my shoulder, but I woke up happy and that hasn't happen in so long. It scared me because I realized I wanted that."

"Then go for it," Sam said before Natasha launched herself from Bucky's arm into his.

Bucky made a frustrated noise. "That's the problem," he said, "Steve is straight."

"And you know this for sure, how?" Sam asked as he sat Natasha in his lap.

Bucky ran his hand through his hair. "His wife was a pretty good indicator."

Sam shook his head at Bucky in surprise. "Wait, I thought you said he was single."

"He is," Bucky said, "but he _was_ married. To a woman that is obviously nothing like me, all put together and confident. Not shaggy and broken."

Sam pointedly didn't glance at his empty left sleeve. "Maybe he is bi," he said, "you never know until you try."

Bucky just ran a hand down his face and sighed. "I'll think about it." There was a long pause before he added, "Can we change the subject?"

Sam shrugged as he sat Natasha back onto the floor. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything," Bucky said.

"Have you given any more thought into Stark's offer?" Sam asked.

Bucky groaned. "Anything but that," he said.

Sam just gave him a pointed look. "It is a good offer," he said, "Stark is willing to pay for you to get your arm back."

"But I won't be getting my arm back!" Bucky shouted. "It'll be different. I don't want to be any more of a freak than I already am and a robot arm is freakier than no arm."

"Just think about it," Sam said, "You could get your life back."

Bucky glared at Sam. "I'm getting by just fine with only on arm okay. I can live my life without Stark's help."

Sam threw his hands up in surrender. "Fine, I will drop it," he said.

Bucky dropped his glare and they sat in silence for a few seconds before a crash came from behind them.

"Natasha!" Sam and Bucky yelled as they leapt from the couch.

Behind them, Natasha had tipped over Sam's small bookcase and Natasha was whimpering int he wreckage. Thankfully the actual bookcase itself hadn't fallen on her, but by the way her bottom lip was trembling, it was obvious she had been scared when it had fallen.

"I've got her," Sam said. He scooped Natasha into his arms and laid her head on his shoulder and started bouncing her back and forth. She calmed down after a few seconds, but she was still whimpering quietly and grabbing at the back of Sam's neck.

Sam gave Bucky a sad smile. "She liked to hold the hair at the nape of Riley's neck when she was scared," he said.

"I remember," Bucky said, "would you like me to take her? I have a little more hair than you do."

Sam nodded and handed the whimpering girl to Bucky. She let out a cry when Sam took her arms from around his neck, but quieted down when she was settled into Bucky's arm. Her hand immediately snaked into Bucky's hair and grabbed a handful. She didn't pull hard enough for it to hurt, she just curled her fingers there and then buried her face into Bucky's neck.

In no time she was letting out soft puffs of air against Bucky's throat that let him know she had fallen asleep.

Sam shook his head. "I swear you are a baby whisperer," he said. "You can get her to fall asleep faster than anything I've ever seen. You should start a business."

Bucky let out a quiet laugh. "What would I call it?" he asked. "How about 'Bucky the Baby Whisperer: Puts your baby to sleep in the blink of an eye!'"

Sam shook his head. "It wouldn't matter what you called it," he said, "as a single parent, I can tell you that people would hire. Maybe Steve would hire you too." He added with a waggle of his eyebrows.

Bucky just rolled his eyes. "I'm going to lay her down," he said with a light blush staining his cheeks. He turned and walked to the back of the house to the nursery and laid her in her crib. She squirmed a little when she was laid down, but settled when Bucky laid her stuffed spider into her arms. Bucky pressed the back of his knuckles against her cheek for a second before backing out of the room.

Sam was sitting on the couch when he got back to the living room. "Hey, do you want to watch a movie?" Sam asked.

"Sure," Bucky said, "but I get to pick this time. I am not watching _Miss Congeniality_ again."

"It's a classic, man!" Sam shouted in a whisper, careful not to wake Natasha.

"Whatever you say," Bucky said shaking his head.


	4. Chapter 4

The next couple of weeks were nothing out of the ordinary. Bucky still automatically woke up at three every night, but Clint either didn't wake up or he was quieted down nearly as soon as the crying had started and so that was fine. Steve hadn't needed his help again, in fact, Bucky hadn't seen Steve even once since the morning after Bucky had helped him. Sure they had never met before that night, but Bucky really wanted to see Steve again and he was getting the impression that Steve didn't feel the same.

This being said, Bucky was understandably surprised to come home one afternoon from the grocery store to find Steve frantically knocking at his door with Clint lying in the crook of his arm and a diaper bag slung over his shoulder.

"Do you need something?" Bucky asked, coming up behind Steve.

When Steve turned around, his face was the essence of relief. "Oh good," he said, "I thought you weren't home."

Bucky gave a wary smile. "I wasn't home," he said, lifting the grocery bags that were in his hands.

Steve just gave an impatient sigh. "I know this is a very big favor to ask, but my babysitter bailed on me last minute and I am already late for work, is there any way you can keep Clint until around 11:00 tonight?" he said all in one breath.

Bucky didn't even hesitate before saying yes and he didn't even regret it when Clint was shoved into his arm because Steve's relieved smile was enough for him.

(He regretted it a little when he realized he was standing alone in the hallway holding a practical stranger's baby with groceries and a diaper bag at his feet.)

Bucky just sighed before trying to fish his keys out of his pocket with Clint wriggling in his arm; it took him a minute, but eventually he got the keys out. Then came the challenge of unlocking the door. Bucky tried several times and failed (he only nearly dropped Clint once) before he bent his leg up and held his knee against the door post and then balanced Clint on his knee so that he could have better access to the door.

Once he got in with a triumphant shout, he realized that all his groceries and the diaper bag were still out in the hall. He searched around for a second for a place to leave Clint and settled on the couch. He put Clint in the middle of a cushion and framed him with two pillows to keep him from rolling off. He quickly ran bak out for the groceries and the diaper bag.

Once he had shut the door, he decided that Clint seemed content enough lying on the couch and so he decided to put his groceries away. It didn't take long because he didn't have that much and so when he finished, he grabbed a handful of chips and headed back to the living room. Once he caught sight of the couch, his chips were dropped to the floor and he dove for the couch.

Clint had somehow squirmed until he was hanging off the couch and Bucky arrived at the final wiggle before he was on the floor. Bucky caught Clint as he started sliding and then moved him into his arm with a sigh of relief.

"That was a close one, buddy," Bucky said.

Clint just stared up at him, unfazed by the whole thing.

Bucky scoffed. "You don't even care that I just saved your life, do you?"

Clint's response was to wrinkle his nose and let out a tiny sneeze.

Bucky smiled down at Clint. "That was cute enough that I forgive you," he said and then glanced at the couch. "I guess I should find somewhere else to put you while I clean up my mess, huh?"

With no objections from Clint, Bucky made his way into his bedroom and stared at the blanket on the bed before sighing and adjusting Clint between his elbow and shoulder so that his hand was free.

"This would be a lot easier with two hands," Bucky said, grabbing the blanket with his hand and dragging it off the bed. Clint squirmed a little at being jostled around, but he wasn't too upset.

With the blanket in hand, Bucky headed back to the living room. He set Clint on the couch again while he laid the blanket on the rug in his floor and then he placed Clint in the blanket.

"Now let's see what is in your diaper bag," Bucky said as he hauled the bag onto the couch with him. There were at least 20 diapers and a package of wipes first off-essentials. There were also two bottles and a box of formula off to one side along with several extra sleepers and a stuffed puppy dog.

Bucky put the bag back in the floor and then laid down by Clint's side.

He waved the puppy above Clint's head. "Look at the puppy," Bucky said in a baby voice, "The puppy is going to get you" He then lowered the toy closer and closer to Clint's tummy with little barks. When it reached Clint, Bucky tickled his tummy with the dog and Clint waved his arms around and made little grunting noises with a tiny smile on his face. Bucky kept playing like this until Clint lost interest and started to chew on his fist.

Bucky sat up. "Okay, food time," he said, "Wait here while I make you a bottle."

Bucky shoved the formula into the crook of his arm and grabbed a bottle before heading into the kitchen. While the water was warming, Bucky read the label on the formula to try and figure out how much to put onto the bottle.

"One scoop every two ounces," he read, "How many ounces do I make?" Bucky shrugged and decided to google it before realizing that he didn't know how old Clint was. "I guess I will start out with 6 ounces and if he is still hungry after that, I will give him more," he said to himself.

Bucky felt the temperature with his wrist and deemed it adequate. Once the water was in the bottle and the formula in the water shaken up, Bucky went back into the living room and put the bottle on the coffee table so he could pick Clint up. Before he scooped Clint from the blanket, he turned his TV on.

Once he had Clint settled in his arm with the bottle propped against his chest, Bucky sat back and watched a Harry Potter movie that was playing.

The next several minutes were pretty uneventful. Bucky burped Clint once he reached the halfway mark in his bottle and once it was finished, Clint seemed satisfied. Bucky kept Clint in his arms for a while longer and finished the movie. A few minutes into the next movie, Clint started fussing.

Bucky sighed. "Oh no, please don't start screaming," he said, "What is wrong?" Bucky grimaced. "Do you need a diaper change?"

There was no answer, of course, but when Bucky laid Clint on one of the cushions and felt his diaper, it was definitely wet.

Bucky wrinkled his nose but dutifully grabbed a diaper and the wipes from the bag. Once he had his supplies, he stopped and assessed the situation. He had never changed Natasha without Sam or Riley's help and he had had two hands for every other baby he had changed.

"Stalling isn't going to help," he said to himself before steeling himself up and starting. With barely any trouble, Bucky undid Clint's sleeper, slid the new diaper under him, and undid he clasps on the old one. "Thank God this wasn't a poopie diaper," he said. The only real problem he had was when it came to clasping the new diaper back on, but eventually he managed by holding the front of the diaper in place with his thumb and grabbing the strap with his index and middle fingers.

Once he was finished, he let out a triumphant laugh before he settled Clint in the crook of his arm and taking the diaper to get thrown away. Afterwards, he sat them back on the couch and settled Clint on his chest.

"I think it is nap time, buddy," Bucky said. Clint didn't really disagree, because he was asleep within minutes. Bucky kept watching the rest of the movie but he must have fallen asleep because he was woke up by a knock on his door.

Bucky glanced down at Clint who was already awake, but laying still. Bucky got up and unlocked the door.

"It's open," he said to whoever was on the other side.

It was Steve of course, looking worn out, but smiling. "Did you two have a good time?" he asked.

"We did," Bucky said. "There were a few troubles now and then, but then again, welcome to my life." Bucky shrugged his left shoulder with an awkward laugh.

Steve gave a tired smile. I guess we will get out of your hair," he said, "What do I owe you for doing this?"

Bucky's heart leapt in his chest and before he even realized what he was going to say, he had spoken. "A cup of coffee?" He asked with a nervous smile.

Steve blinked a couple of times and Bucky was just about to laugh it off as a joke before Steve answered. "That sounds great," he said.

Bucky was sure his smile looked ridiculous as Steve came in and grabbed his stuff and Clint from Bucky.

"Thanks again for doing this," Steve said, "It was really awesome of you."

Bucky waved him off. "Anytime," he said, "Besides, Clint is super adorable so I don't mind."

Steve placed a soft kiss on Clint's cheek. "He is kind of cute isn't he?"

Bucky let out a small laugh and leaned against the doorpost. "Gets it from you?"

Steve blushed a bright red at Bucky's words. "On that note, I think it is time to go to bed," he said, "Goodnight, Bucky."

"Goodnight, Steve," Bucky said back, "and to you too, Clint."

Steve gave a small wave as he headed to his apartment and didn't see the soft smile that had made its way onto Bucky's face.

Bucky realized now that he had it bad.


	5. Chapter 5

Every Saturday morning, Bucky went over to Sam's to run. They would put Natasha in her stroller and take turns pushing her as they ran laps in the park near where Sam lived. It started as a way to get Bucky back in shape, but they kept it up as a way to see each other at least once a week.

They used this time just to talk. They talked about their lives and about interesting people they saw and about anything they could think to talk about. On this particular Saturday, Bucky had been in a silent mood, not saying much, just occasionally grunting as Sam talked about his week.

"And don't get me started on Debbie, you know the mom with red hair from Nat's daycare," Sam said with elaborate hand motions as Bucky struggled to keep the stroller going straight with only one hand, "She is still trying to set me up with her niece! Her nineteen-year-old niece...and you aren't listening anymore are you?"

"Huh?" Bucky jerked his head in Sam's direction.

Sam sighed. "I thought so," he said, "What has got you all worked up?"

"I accidentally asked Steve out," he said in a rush.

Sam paused for a second before he burst into laughter. Bucky stopped running and glared at Sam as he doubled over, still laughing.

"It's not that funny," Bucky said.

Sam straightened up and wiped a tear from his eye. "Sorry, man, I just wasn't expecting that to be the reason you were upset," he said, "I thought you _wanted_ to go out with him."

"I do! I definitely want to go out with him," Bucky said before running his hand through his hair. "I'm just a little nervous."

Sam raised an eyebrow and gave Bucky a pointed look.

"Fine, I'm terrified," Bucky said, "I haven't gone out on a date that went well since before I was deployed and I don't even know if he knows that I want this to be a date and I know I just met Steve, but I really like him and I don't want to mess this up and-"

Sam grabbed Bucky by the shoulder and wheeled him around to look him in the eye. "Calm down," he said in a soothing voice, "Just breathe, man, everything will be okay. You are an amazing guy and Steve will be lucky to go out with you."

Bucky took a couple of deep breaths. "But what if he doesn't like me enough to date me? What if he thinks this just two bros going for coffee?" He asked.

"Then that is his loss," Sam said firmly, "So when are you going to take him?"

"I was thinking that little cafe across the street from the VA," Bucky said more like a question than a statement.

Sam nodded thoughtfully. "It's close to your place, good atmosphere, and great pastries. I think that is a good choice," He said.

"I'm glad you think so," Bucky said, "I figured since it usually isn't very busy, he could bring Clint without it being to loud or crowded."

"Good thinking," Sam said. "I-"

He was cut off by a squeal from Natasha.

Bucky ducked his head to peek into the stroller. "What's wrong, Spider." She just waved her arms and legs and squealed again impatiently. "Are you upset that we stopped moving?" Bucky asked. Natasha just started scooting forward in her seat and making urgent little grunts. "Okay, okay, we are going."

"Why do you still call her Spider?" Sam asked as they started walking again, "It was one little innocent joke."

Bucky just shook his head with a smile on his face. "Once a nickname has been made, you can't change it."

Sam rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man," he said.

"So, you were talking about Debbie from daycare," Bucky prompted once they got running again.

Sam made an indignant noise. "Her nineteen-year-old niece! I am a grown ass homosexual man and she wants me to go out with a nineteen-year-old girl!" He exclaimed, "What is wrong with her?"

They spent the rest of the run with Sam venting his frustrations and Bucky laughing along with the antics of the ladies at the daycare.

"Oh, and apparently we are getting a new kid in a couple of weeks," Sam said when they made it to his door. "With a single dad, apparently. I can't wait, it will be great to have another man around."

Bucky waggled his eyebrows at Sam. "Maybe you and him can have a little playdate of your own."

Sam's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet."

Bucky's smirk fell. "I'm sorry, Sam," he said, "I should have known it was too soon, I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, Bucky, I understand," Sam said as he began unbuckling Natasha from her stroller. "Apparently he has 'the body of a Greek god' according to Karen. I'm going to have to warn him about her, she will go after anything that moves." He handed Natasha to Bucky before collapsing the stroller.

"I remember," Bucky said with a shiver as they headed inside, "Every time I pick up Natasha, she ambushes me. Does she not understand the word gay or does she assume that her womanly charm will sway me over?"

Sam snorted a laugh. "Honestly, it's probably a little of both," he said as he leaned the stroller beside the door.

They made their way into the kitchen with Natasha on Bucky's hip.

Sam opened the fridge. "Do you want pancakes or waffles?" he asked as he started pulling out ingredients.

Bucky thought for a second. "Waffles," he said, "definitely waffles."

"Good choice," Sam said. "Would you put Nat in her high chair please."

"Sure thing!"

Once Natasha was settled, and the waffles cooking, Bucky took a deep breath. "I'm still so nervous about this coffee date with Steve," he said.

"Bucky, you will be great," Sam said. "Steve will think so too and you and him will have a wonderful time and eventually get married and raise a beautiful family together."

Bucky's eyes widened and his breathing quickened. "What? I-I don't-"

Sam backtracked. "That was a joke man, just relax and everything will be great. Don't think so hard about it"

The waffle timer went off before Bucky could reply, but he took a deep breath and felt at least a little bit better.

Maybe everything _would_ be okay.


	6. Chapter 6

Bucky started seeing more of Steve around. They hadn't gone for coffee yet, they were both too busy, but they would end up meeting in the stairwell, or be leaving at the same time or pass each other in the hallway, never for very long. Each little encounter made Bucky's heart flutter.

One moment was on a Tuesday when they were both leaving their apartments at the same time, Steve, dressed in running clothes with Clint strapped to his chest in a baby sling, and Bucky with a bag of garbage thrown over his shoulder and a shopping list in his jacket pocket.

They chatted as they made their way down the stairs together.

"Going for a run, or is this just your casual look?" Bucky asked, nodding in Steve's direction.

Steve gave him a very serious look. "I'm actually headed to a funeral," he said.

Bucky paused for a second before he realized Steve was teasing him. "Haha, very funny," he deadpanned.

"Almost got you there, huh?" Steve shot back with a grin and a nudge to Bucky's shoulder. "But yes, to answer your question, we are going for a run, gotta keep this guy in shape," He said with a pat to Clint's back, "What about you? Just taking the trash out or are you off to an exciting adventure?"

Bucky scoffed. "Definitely option number two," he said. "Nothing is more exciting than buying toilet paper and milk."

Steve laughed at that. "It's more exciting than having no toilet paper," he said.

"I've gotta agree with you there," Bucky said they had reached the bottom of the stairwell and they both hesitated.

They started at the same time.

"So uh-"

"I was thinking-"

They both laughed. "You first," said Steve, waving his hand in Bucky's direction.

Bucky cleared his throat. "I was thinking that maybe we should find a time to get coffee like we said we would."

"I think that is a brilliant idea," Steve said with a wide smile. "When were you thinking?"

Bucky shifted the bag on his shoulder. "I was actually going to leave that mostly up to you. I have a very free and flexible schedule, so whenever would work for you is fine by me," he said.

Steve thought for a moment. "How about Thursday morning?" he asked, "I don't have anything to do then until 2:00."

"I can definitely do that!" Bucky said brightly, "I will come get you around 8:00, does that sound okay?"

"That is perfect," Steve said. "Gives me enough time to get Clint up and ready for the day."

Bucky grinned. "It's a date!" He said before he paused, "I um if you want-"

"It's a date." Steve said with a hint of finality. "Now I should probably get going."

Bucky nodded. "Me too," he said. "See you Thursday!"

"See you Thursday." Steve said and gave one last smile in Bucky's direction before walking through the doors and taking off at a jog.

Bucky had a silly grin on his face while finished taking the trash out and he was still smiling when he got to the grocery store. He quickly grabbed what was on his list and then headed back home with a near skip in his step.

He stopped mid step when he realized. He had a date. He had a real date with an awesome guy who was handsome and funny and sweet and it struck Bucky suddenly. He wasn't nervous. Sure he had jitters, he was excited, but there was no dread coiled in his gut, no panic welling in his throat. He was going on a date and it would probably end well, there might even be more dates.

Bucky practically ran the rest of the way home. As soon as he stepped through the doors, he dropped his groceries on the floor and pulled out his phone.

 _its a real date_

He sent to Sam. It took a couple of minutes to get a reply.

 _That's great, man! Congrats! You going to tell me anything else?_

Bucky bit his lip. He was going to be at the VA later, he should probably wait to gush to Sam.

 _tell you when i get there_

He sent back.

 _Can't wait!_

Was the reply.

Bucky's smile was still in full bloom when he decided to take a shower and he was humming a tune as the water washed over him. When he got out, he shaved the scruff that had been growing over the past couple of days and looked at himself in the mirror.

He had lost a lot of muscle after coming back home; after the first year back, he took such little care of himself that he was basically skin and bones, but after Sam had made him move in with him and Riley, he had started to gain some of it back. He was nowhere near as big as he had been while on active duty,but he was still working on it .

Bucky ran his hand across his the scars on his torso and over his shoulder. He was still self conscious of what he looked like shirtless, but he had been getting better. Therapy helped.

His face was still mostly the same. He had his mother's lips, his grandfather's chin, and his father's nose. His eyes had changed. They had more depth to them, less light, but Bucky figured that came with war.

His hair was a totally different story. It was long, nearly brushing the pops of his shoulders and hanging in wet clumps in his face. It had started growing out when he first got back and was neglecting himself, but Sam had first mentioned a haircut to him, he realized that he liked having his hair this long. He liked the sense of privacy that came with having hair that covered his neck.

Plus it was basically a fuck you to the army regulations that he had had to keep up for so long. Believe it or not, long hair gets in your face even when you are trying to shoot a gun.

Bucky han his hand through his hair before heading to his bedroom to get dressed.

He pulled on his most comfortable pair of jeans and a Henley before heading for the door. He could probably catch Sam in between sessions if he hurried and he had some happy feelings to dump on him.


End file.
